Morris City Council approves purchase of fuel trucks

MORRIS — The Morris City Council met Monday night and approved the expenditure of nearly $300,000 for two refueling trucks for the Morris Municipal Airport.

The Airport Committee recommended in the form of a motion that the Council award the low bid on the Airport Refueler Trucks to the low bidder, Global Aviation Services LLC in the amounts of $112,495.00 and $184,895.00.

“The truck that is out there now is old and constantly under repair,” Morris Mayor Chris Brown said. “These were in the budget since the beginning of the year and we have been just waiting for the right time. With some big corporations like Costco and Proctor & Gamble now in Morris, we will be able to handle any corporate planes that come in and we will have a gas truck and a jet fuel truck.

“The cost actually came in about $42,000 less than what we had expected, so it was under budget and will have a great impact on our airport. We need to keep the ball rolling in all of our departments, and I think the airport is a diamond in the rough.”

The Council approved requests by Home for the Holidays to use downtown streets and the area in and around Chapin Park for the Home for the Holidays Lighted Parade and Lighting of Chapin Park; to close Franklin Street to parking at Noon and close to traffic from 3 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.; and for no parking on all sides of Chapin Park from Noon until end of event, on Friday Nov. 26; by Jane Kerr of Apple Butter and Shugies to close the alley entrance between Apple Butter and Shugies and Curved on Dec. 11 and 12 for the Morris Retail Association Winterfest; and by Carol Lea of Today Everlasting Photography to close the alley on the East side of Liberty Street between Main and Jefferson Streets, to set up a “Halloween Selfie Photo Stand” for the Downtown Trick or Treat event on Thursday, Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

The Finance & Administration Committee recommended in the forms of motions that the Council approve the UPS Preventative Battery Maintenance Agreement with Eaton at a cost of $6,136.80; that the Council approve an agreement with Securitas Electronic Security for safety button installation at a cost of $3,865.98; and that the Council adopt an ordinance authorizing the execution of consent for the United States Environmental Protection Agency to utilize City property for the purpose of monitoring, sampling, cleanup, and investigation of the industrial building fire at Superior Battery Inc. within the City of Morris. All motions were approved by an 8-0 vote.

“The EPA is going to take over a lot of the cleanup at the fire site,” Brown said. “We are allowing them to utilize the property east of the fire site, and they can set up electric and cables there that are needed for that for the next 6-8 months. The EPA has been great to work with during all of this.”

Brown also said that the Parks & Annexation Committee has taken calls from parties interested in advertising on the coming ice skating rink in Goold Park.

“That was something we hadn’t even thought of,” Brown said. “But, we have gotten calls, so we are going to work with the rink company and see what can be done. It would bring in some revenue that we could reinvest on the civic end.”

The Judiciary & License Committee approved a business license application by Nancy Anderson, doing business as Comprehensive Medical Management, 623 Fremont Avenue, to operate a medical billing/early intervention business. The Committee also recommended in the form of a motion that the Council adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 2.04, Creating Section 2.04.200 of the Morris Municipal Code regarding approved special events and right of way closures within the City of Morris. The motion passed with an 8-0 vote.

The Water & Sewer Committee recommended in the forms of motions that the Council approve the purchase of a Return Activated Sludge Pump (RAS) at the East Waste Water Treatment Plant from Yeomans Pump Parts at a cost of $10,878.00; and that the Council approve the water main repair on Route 47 not to exceed $20,000.00. Both motions were approved with an 8-0 vote.